Mrs. Mulder's Neighborhood

Wishing & Personal Connection

2007-02-18T12:21:00.000-08:00

Wishing

To get my reflecting juices flowing, I consulted some of the questions from our class texts. I liked some of the questions from Sandy Guild’s Research Process Questionnaire (Curriculum Connections 154):

“What would you have done differently if you could do it over?”

If I could do the project over again, I think I might have focused more on the socio-cultural aspects of being a redhead, such as famous redheads of the past or views of redheads through the ages. I found this information more personally interesting, although I am glad that I learned about the genetics of being a redhead. Many of the genetic sources I read were “over my head” and I had to do a little studying to remember all the terms I learned in 9^th grade biology. This made my project a little more challenging and it reacquainted me with my scientist side. I used to be really interested in science and even wanted to be a geneticist when I was in high school.

Also, if I could do it differently, I would have cut myself off from looking at new sources after a certain point. I think I spent too much time looking and waited too long to read, analyze, and synthesize. There weren’t a lot of initial hits when I search for “redheads and extinction,” so I search redheads by itself, which meant sifting through many resources that distracted me from my questions.

“What question would you still like to chase down if we gave you more time just to do it and you knew there wasn’t a paper or grade at the end?”

There is a question that I still haven’t answered, is Redheads International (the organization that published the Redhead Encyclopedia) still in existence. Their web address is no longer valid and I have been unable to find any information distributed by them since the publishing of the book in 1996. I do, however, have an address in Newport Beach, CA, so I may just write a letter (snail-mail style) and see if the organization exists. If anyone would be interested in my Save The Redheads project, it would be Redheads International.

I feel like I am not an expert in my inquiry skills. Lamb identifies some characteristics of an expert information scientist, and these are areas where I could definitely use improvement:

“Identify relevant information and ignore irrelevant information.”

When reading about origin of red hair or red hair genetics, I often found myself reading beyond the information I actually needed because it was interesting to me. I often examined articles that did not exactly pertain to my question – are redheads going extinct? (i.e. there were many journal articles on health risks of being a redhead)

“Self-regulate their time and efforts including goal setting, time management, self-evaluation, self-motivation”

Although I started my project very early, I think I spent too much time trying to get too much information. Many of the articles, books, and web sites repeated information. While the repetition of information made me feel more confident about the accuracy of the information, I think I could have done just as well with fewer quality sources.

“Remain flexible in thinking adapting to changing needs”

When I found new information in my search that contradicted my questions or did not strengthen my approach, I wanted to resist incorporating that information into my inquiry. For example, I found one scientist who does not believe that redheads will go extinct at all. I found this late in my search and did not know what to do with it. I didn't know how I would research that view and I didn't want to because I had so much evidence supporting extinction. In the end, I'm glad to have found that opinion because I truly don't want redheads to go extinct. It leaves me a little hope.

Now, I have been a little hard on myself. There are many things that I think went very well in my inquiry. I am amazed at how much I learned – especially about genetics. I honed my search skills by trying different combinations in Boolean searching. I used new databases and science sources. I learned several new methods of organizing my thoughts, and now I have a whole new way of going about connecting the information I find. Recursion is now a little less scary and something I will implement in my inquiry as I go forward. And last but not least, my technological literacy has improved, as I have noted in a previous post.

Personal Connection
Before starting this inquiry, my inquiry approach was somewhat disorganized and hurried. I usually picked the first topic that came to my mind, didn't spend too much time tweaking it, set out to find as many resources I could, read those resources, tried to organize my thoughts, then report the information I found. I really cannot recall ever being trained in an inquiry processes or information search process before this class. If I was, then they have been long forgotten. This kind of makes me sad for all the years I was missing out on the big picture of research. I graduated high school in 1995. I don't know if the standards were a lot different at that time, or if inquiry/information search was not a priority for teachers at my school.

The librarian in my loves learning and searching for information. I have always been great at that. This inquiry process has taught me what to do with that information, and completely changed my outlook on research projects. Before, I was all about the product and I hardly paid any attention to the process of connecting the information. I was always afraid of what Virginia Ranking calls "Risk Taking - do not be afraid to seek answers that may be difficult or impossible, the process often uncovers new areas of inquiry that will be even more rewarding"(Callison & Preddy 513). Now I know how important each step of the process is, especially reflecting. That is how you learn what you have done well and not so well, and make it better next time.

Thanks to all of you who shared feedback and thoughts in the comments area!!!

Waving!

2007-02-17T09:39:00.000-08:00

Now that I have completed my final product, a web site for an imaginary organization called Save the Redheads, I want to share it with as many people as I know. I am proud of the work that I did and the information I found. I will start by emailing the URL of my web site to our class, asking them to check it out and share feedback if they wish. Next I will email all of my family and friends to share the website with them. I'm sure I will also be talking about it for at least the next few weeks, since it was a major undertaking.

My hope is that people find a new appreciation of redheads and how rare they are. Who knows, maybe someday there will be a real Save the Redheads organization.

I have posted my web page to my Steel account, so it is out there for the world to see. I even included my email address on the Voice of Redheads page of the site, so that visitor can take my redhead survey and email me the answers. I wonder if I will get any answers from outside of my immediate social network.

Here is the URL: http://mypage.iu.edu/~kbmulder/index.html. Enjoy!!!

Curriculum Connection

2007-02-16T13:39:00.000-08:00

Experience 1 - The Redhead Extinction Debate

Language Arts: Listening and Speaking Skills (Grade 10)
Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
Indiana Academic Standard
10.7.3 - Recognize and use elements of classical speech forms (including the introduction, first and second transitions, body, and conclusion) in formulating rational arguments and applying the art of persuasion and debate.

Information Literacy Standards

Standard 2 The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and

completely. (all indicators)

Standard 3 The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively. (all indicators)

Given the question, “Do you think redheads will go extinct?”, students will be involved in a guided inquiry, were the media specialist will provide selected resources on the subject of redheads, extinction, and genetic theories. Students will examine the materials, pull out main theories and point, and synthesize their thoughts into a persuasive speech. The product will be in the form of a series of debates between the students. Students will write their speech in the prescribed form, modeled by the instructor. Additionally, the class could vote on which argument was the most effective and why.

If taking an interdisciplinary approach, biology classes could also be involved in this assignment as an audience or participant and they could critique the debates on the basis of their knowledge of genetics and evolution. Some of the topics covered in the debate might be how red hair is genetically produced, how it is a recessive trait, how redheads could be going extinct because of natural selection. The Indiana Academic Standards that would relate to this assignment are:

Genetics
B.1.21 - Understand and explain that the information passed from parents to offspring is transmitted by means of genes which are coded in DNA molecules.
B.1.22 - Understand and explain the genetic basis for Mendel’s laws of segregation and independent assortment.
B.1.28 - Illustrate that the sorting and recombination of genes in sexual reproduction results in a great variety of possible gene combinations from the offspring of any two parents. Recognize that genetic variation can occur from such processes as crossing over, jumping genes, and deletion and duplication of genes.

Evolution
B.1.31 - Describe how natural selection provides the following mechanism for evolution: Some variation in heritable characteristics exists within every species, and some of these characteristics give individuals an advantage over others in surviving and reproducing. Understand that the advantaged offspring, in turn, are more likely than others to survive and reproduce. Also understand that the proportion of individuals in the population that have advantageous characteristics will increase.

Experience 2 - Fractions with Hair Color

Math - Standard 1 (Grade 3)
Number Sense

Students understand the relationships among numbers, quantities, and place value in whole numbers* up to 1,000. They understand the relationship among whole numbers, simple fractions, and decimals.

Indiana Academic Standards
3.1.8 - Show equivalent fractions using equal parts.

3.1.9 - Identify and use correct names for numerators and denominators.

3.1.10 - Given a pair of fractions, decide which is larger or smaller by using objects or pictures.

Information Literacy Standards

Standard 3 The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively. (all indicators)
Standard 9 The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.
Indicator 1. Shares knowledge and information with others.
Indicator 2. Respects others’ ideas and backgrounds and acknowledges their contributions.

In this curriculum connection, the instructor will divide the students into groups by hair color. Weather or not their is a redhead group, the instructor would explain that red is the rarest color of hair in the world and that only about 4% of the world's population has red hair. The instructor would review numerator and denominator with the class and show how 4% equals 4/100, then explain how 4/100 is an equivalent to 1/25. The groups of hair colors would work together to (1) figure out what fraction of the total class their hair color makes up (i.e. 10/25) and (2) how to reduce that fraction to an equivalent (2/5) and (3) compare that number with the number of redheads in the world and see which fraction is bigger/smaller. If there is a redhead group in the class, they can see if their fraction comes out the sames as the fraction for the world's population of redheads - 1/25 is about right!

In this exercise, students would have an authentic way to apply fractions using demographics of the classroom. They would also have a chance to learn from each other in a group setting. For example if one student is having trouble understanding the concept, another student could try to explain from a peer point of view.

My Inquiry: Like or Unlike Children's Inquiry

2007-02-15T15:27:00.000-08:00

My personal inquiry experiences are. . .

Like children & YA

Unlike children & YA

-I am apprehensive and overwhelmed at the beginning of my project. (Wondering)

-I am eager to get to the product and sometimes feel like skipping process. (Wiggling & Weaving)

-I am easily distracted with new information and sometimes irrelevant information (especially if it’s fun & entertaining). (Webbing)

-I am excited about my topic and want to share information with classmates, family, and friends via my web site. If I had to present the information in the form of public speaking I would be NERVOUS. (Wrapping & Waving)

-I am still afraid of the recursive process and going back to reflect on my questions and possibly change directions. When I was younger, I simply didn’t do it. I was inflexible. (Wiggling)

-I realize the amount of time that needs to go into a good inquiry. (Wondering)

-I have several years advantage over children in general world knowledge and subject knowledge. (Wondering & Weaving)

-I may not be as open-minded about choosing a topic because of my world knowledge. (Watching)

-With professional training in reference, I am well versed in search methods, electronic resources, databases, reference books, etc. (Webbing)

-My synthesizing and writing skills might be better because of years of practice in an academic and business setting. (Weaving & Wrapping)

-I might be a little more critical on myself than younger students (Wishing)

Wrapping

2007-02-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

As, I’ve had in mind for awhile, I’d like to create a pretend organization called Save the Redheads to utilize the information from my personal inquiry. This type of product made a lot of sense and actually helped me decide which pieces of information were important in my query and which pieces were expendable. For example, the book Redhead Encyclopedia had so much neat information about famous redheads in pop culture and history, but I didn’t feel this was really important to my topic of redhead extinction. Although I enjoyed reading it, I don’t need to include information about famous redheads in my web site.

Other possibilities I considered were a PowerPoint presentation, perhaps meant to raise awareness on the issue of redhead extinction; a pamphlet or poster raising awareness of the issue; and even an original song about saving redheads. I decided my composition skills were a little rusty for songwriting, but I may do that in the future for fun. I still feel that a website would improve my personal technological literacy and be fun for people to explore.

This project has really helped me be more technologically literate. enGuage 21st Century Skills describes some of their technology standards as using "a variety of technology tools in effective ways to increase productivity" and using technology "to access, evaluate, process and synthesize information from a variety of sources"(22). I've used so many tools such as graphic organizers on the web(for the first time), Inspiration (for the first time), FTP software, Blogger, HTML, Excel spreadsheets, and several other things I'm probably not thinking of.

A web site is a great medium for sharing information because it can be very organized and groups information in similar categories. In L571, we learned how to make a blueprint of a website. This is very similar to making a concept map, in fact Inspiration has a template for web blueprints. I have taken the concept map (with questions and inferences) from my previous post and translated it into a blueprint for my Save the Redheads organization web site. In this blueprint, I also included explanations of each section and how I'm incorporating the material I found in my inquiry. Here's my blueprint, just click on it to enlarge and read:

To plan for my audience, I used the Planning Chart available from www.eduplace.com, as suggested by Lamb’s Teacher Tap. Click here to view a copy of my Planning Chart. Save the Redheads is an organization that would be very useful for redheads, family members and friends of redheads, and perhaps even doctors, biologists, and researchers. I will examine non-profit organization models and see how these mesh with my research findings to produce a web site that is user friendly, interesting, and informative.

This information is not only important to me, as a redhead, but it is important to a lot of my family, friends, classmates, and even the general public. I just think, what would the world do if all the blonds became extinct? Although the redhead population is probably not as highly regarded in the beauty category as blonds, they are still a significant part of the population. Just like any endangered species, redheads deserve awareness before they fade away.

My Woven Web

2007-02-12T18:03:00.000-08:00

I found it extremely difficult to weave my ideas together via a graphic organizer, but in the end I found it very helpful for me to link my questions into new group. I was able to synthesize some of the groups of information to draw my own conclusions such as - the perception of redheads has a lot to do with the past actions of notorious redheads including Lizzie Borden, Eric the Red, and Napoleon.

To analyze and synthesize my information, I referred to questions suggested by Lamb in the Weaving-Synthesizing step:

"Have the most important questions been addressed?"

I actually feel that I answered questions during my process. The information was out there and readily accessible.

"Have any new questions arisen?"

Some new findings have arisen that make me wonder about expanding my topic a bit. I found an opposing viewpoint about redhead extinction. One researcher says it won't happen. I also found several studies on the link between redheads and cancer. I wonder how I can incorporate these findings into my product. I have yet to decide.

"Are there other ways to view the information or perspectives I should be considering?"

I am trying to also view this project as a non-redhead, because I want it to be interesting to others.

I'm trying to view the information about ways to stop redhead extinction objectively, but it's hard because one way of continuing red hair is to genetically alter it that way. I don't really think that's ethical, but it is certainly a way to continue red hair.

I used Inspiration to to weave my web of information. In this graphic, you will be able see my process from my initial topic, subtopic, questions/answers, new questions/answers, and inferences. (Just click on the image to enlarge it in your web browser).

Weaving

2007-02-11T20:39:00.000-08:00

Let me just start off by sharing a fun web site - The Art of Being a Redhead - one of my favorite redhead paintings: La Belle Dame Sans Merci c. 1890 by Sir Frank Dicksee. I am not using this in my inquiry project, but came across it and found several interesting paintings I had never seen before. Also, I'm thinking my blog is getting a little bit wordy and I wanted to incorporate some visuals other than charts.

While in the process of weaving, I find helpful the Interpretation step in Pappas & Teppe's Pathway's to Knowledge Model and the steps (comparing, selecting, organizing, synthesizing, analyzing) outlined in Lamb's Weaving. I feel like I need a guide map to make sure that I cover all these bases and I want to choose tools that will help me see the information in a new light.

The Pathway's model suggests "assessing usefulness of information, "reflecting to develop personal meaning," and "interpreting information" using different methods (Callison & Preddy 57). I think I have continually evaluated resources for usefulness as I have used them. When reading items, I highlight the information (I-Search) that supports or expands on my topic. Then I have been entering this information into my notes spreadsheet (Research Cycle). So, now I think I can use most of the notes in my spreadsheet, but I have already found some that are not really relevant to my argument.

It is not difficult to find a personal meaning in this topic. I can relate every aspect of my research to myself and how I think about my identity. One thing I have learned is that taking Action on the redhead extinction issue, means employing some controversial and unethical genetic practices. The most natural thing that people could do is just to choose a mate who carries the redhead gene to increase their chances of having redheads. On the unethical side, there is genetic selection (choosing the embryo that has the red hair) or genetic altering (actually changing your DNA to get the physical traits you want, such as hair color or nose shape). I must say that I am a little bit torn because I feel very compelled to try to "Save the Redheads" but I also don't personally believe in genetic altering or selection. I'm not sure how I can convey this. Maybe the only way for me to personally promote redhead preservation is to encourage other redheads to find their best match to have redhead children.

To interpret this information I am using my spreadsheet, but extrapolating a little bit more to really lump the themes together. I want to make sure that all my information either supports the topic, provides background information, or theorizes on what the topic will mean for the future. I will take the different strings of research and synthesize it to reflect a big picture view of the redhead extinction issue (visual representation of organization to follow in another post).

It really helps me to address each step and look at the step and make a checklist for myself. Otherwise, I get lost in the shuffle of where I am. I know the process is recursive, and I have already dabbled in Wrapping, but I want to make sure I don't skip a step entirely. I also have to remind myself to do a little "I think" writing during this process to help myself learn what works for me (Curriculum Connections 53).

At this point, I'm apprehensive about reaching the end of this inquiry. I'm not sure when to really cut off finding new information. I feel like every time I read something, it just leads me to another new source, and I'm constantly going back to Webbing. I am starting to feel like I have enough information to present my findings through my product.

My Favorite Web Links

2007-02-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

My favorite web sites that I've consulted so far (in no particular order):

Radio Netherlands - This article and radio interview highlights the redheads of the Netherlands and also addresses the scarcity of redheads, as well as the possibility of extinction. In the sound clip, a reporter interviews a geneticist on the subject.

Red & Proud - This is a web site for redheads, about redheads, and by redheads. It includes everything from the latest news and media, to health care tips, to a list of famous redheads. There is also a forum where redheads can share their experiences. Besides the links to news stories and some research, I'm not sure about the authority of this web site, but it seems to be the only one of it's kind.

Red Hair Genetics - This is Professor Jonathan Rees's genetic explanation for red hair. He is one of the premier researchers on the genetics of red hair and health condition associated with redhead skin types.

The Tech Museum - The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California has web exhibit called "Ask a Geneticist." This section of the web site has had a few different questions posed by redheads regarding the happenstance of red hair and redhead extinction.

Wikipedia’s Redhead page - Even though Wikipedia is often questioned on its accuracy and authority, I found the Redhead page useful because of the links to other useful sites and articles cited. It also showed a comprehensive picture of redhead topics.

Enjoy!

Wiggling

2007-02-07T15:12:00.000-08:00

Using suggestions from the Big 6 Synthesis step “Classify and group information using a word processor, database or spreadsheet.” I created a spreadsheet for all my notes under the larger categories of Genetics, History/Identity, and Action, then I tagged those notes with subcategories of information such as: population genetics, evolution, ancient origins, so I can easily sort and filter my notes and connect them. I linked a sample of my spreadsheet in my last post, here is the link: http://mypage.iu.edu/~kbmulder/redheadinfogo.xls

So far, in my research on redheads, I’m finding a few different strings of subjects, which I came up with in my initial questioning: the genetics of redheads, the history/identity and myths about redheads, and now I’m finding more and more about special health problems that redheads have. Some of these include conditions that I know (redheads don’t tan well and are more susceptible to burns and skin cancer such as melanoma) and then there are the things I didn’t know (redheads have a different tolerance of pain and anesthesia and can be prone to the condition endometriosis). There has been much medical research in the field of dermatology, anesthesiology, and other disciplines to discover this. I haven't found much on the subject of Action - what to do about redheads going extinct. I think this might be because the only way to get more redheads is for redhead gene carriers to have children, or genetic altering, which is highly controversial and unethical.

More questions I ask myself: Do I start including the health risks of being a redhead in my topic? Do the health risks align with theories of natural selection, and thus contribute to the extinction of redheads? Who will care if redheads become extinct or have particular health problems? If redheads are really going extinct, why would we want to save them?

The themes that I’ve found in my reading and my additional questions that have evolved out of the examination of resources, makes me want to raise awareness of the redhead dilemma. That is where the “Save the Redheads” idea came from, and my idea to form a pretend organization. With this goal in mind, I think that will help me narrow down the information I use, but does this mean that I’ve skipped some Wiggling and Weaving process? I need to keep in mind that every time I think about what I’ve read and make connections, that I’m involved in those steps without really thinking about it.

I met with a high school media specialist yesterday to talk about collection development for another class of mine, but we ended up talking a lot about inquiry because she has started implementing the Big 6 model at her school. She said that her students always want to leave out part of step 4 and 5 (4.2 Extract relevant information and 5.1 Organize from multiple sources), and jump straight to their presentations. I wonder if I am feeling a little anxious myself, about getting to the product stage.

Webbing into Wiggling into Weaving

2007-02-05T18:10:00.000-08:00

I think I'm getting near the end of my information gathering and have been working on consuming the information I've found. I’m now seeing that knowing specific genetic information is a little daunting and not necessary to get my message across about redhead extinction. I think I’m going off focus if I want to try to show people how a redhead gene is formed. I may just mention that it is a recessive trait and discuss some larger concepts like genetic evolution or population migration.

I was getting discouraged by searching the academic databases for articles from scholarly journals because they were way over my head. I searched out books, but found that they weren’t able to provide the most recent information and none covered the subject of extinction of redheads. So, I’ve actually found that university web sites, such as those on University of Edinburgh and University of Queensland (where the prominent redhead researchers are from) actually have the most accurate and up to date information. These are also valid and authoritative sources, for my evaluative checklist. I extracted the researchers' names from broader news articles and Googled those in combination with 'red hair' and 'redhead'.

The interviewing process of my information gathering is very exciting. I love sharing ideas and enlightening people of the subject of redheads. I get the feeling that many people, even redheads, don't give much thought to their hair color. It just IS. I’m already getting responses from my redheaded survey. The responses are very enthusiastic and prideful of being redhead. I also remembered a choir friend who is a genetic counselor. I will contact her via email and see if she will agree to an interview on the subject. I found a radio program from Radio Netherlands, which was a wonderful component that I might link to. There was an interview with a geneticist, live, so this may help in my "ask and expert" quest, if my choir friends doesn't work out.

I really feel that I'm making advances in my organizational abilities. Before, I would always have tons of articles and books around me in a big, messy pile. Currently, I'm organizing my notes from sources in an Excel spreadsheet, as McKenzie's Research Cycle suggested. Here are examples of my source spreadsheet and my notes spreadsheet.

As suggested by Sandy Guild in Curriculum Connections Through the Library, "the novice researcher, fearful of losing his or her momentum, may be unwilling to 'go back' to an earlier stage of the process. . . " I would consider myself a novice researcher before this inquiry exercise, but now I'm ready to look back - scary as it may seem. Looking at my original questions on Identity/History, Genetics, and Action in relation to redhead extinction, I think that my Identity/History questions are right on. As stated earlier, I feel that my Genetics questions were too specific at first, and I now want to focus on the broader concepts, rather than the exact science. Action is where I'm finding the least information, maybe partially because some of the only ways to guarantee continuation of the redhead existence is by making sure that people with the redhead gene mate. And then there's genetic altering, which is viewed as very unethical. I may be jumping ahead, but I already see a focus for my final product - a hypothetical non-profit organization called "Save the Redheads." The driving force behind this organization could be (1) making a case for the unique identity and history of redheads and (2)explaining how they got to be so rare.

I now realize that my initial model for questions fits nicely with Stripling's REACTS Model in the Analyzing stage of "breaking a subject into its component parts (causes, effects, problems, solutions)." This might be a good way to organize as I'm Weaving a little later on.

Rehead Survey

2007-02-02T09:32:00.000-08:00

I wanted to know how redheads felt about the possibility of extinction, so I looked for articles on the subject and didn't find much. But after some thought, and consulting the Pathways to Knowledge model, I found that interviewing actual redheads might be the best way to get a feel for their reaction. The Pathways to Knowledge, developed by Marjorie Pappas and Ann Tepe, emphasizes that "the learning environment of today's' students is no longer set within the walls of the school" and that students must consult the outside world (including experts) to achieve their information goals (Callison & Preddy 57).

So, I used some of my original questions and came up with a few new ones to develop a small opinion survey. I emailed these questions to every redhead I know and also asked them to pass it to other redheads. Any redheads who read this post, feel free to comment with your answers.

1. How do you feel about being a redhead?

2. Do you consider your hair color to be a unique part of your personality? Why or why not?

3. How do you think non-redheads view redheads?

4. Recently there have been news/research reports that redheads will go extinct in the next 100 years (see this Seattle Times Article ). What is your reaction to this article? How does it make you feel?

5. If there was a way to stop redheads form going extinct, would you want to be involved? (this is hypothetical, there is no action organization that I know of) What would you do to stop this from happening?

I'm now realizing that my jumping between different inquiry models is not a problem, I'm just being information fluent! As Callison states, "the mature, information literate student understands that elements of several models may be needed to deal adequately with the problem or project at hand"(Callison & Preddy 79). And I just thought I was being a scatterbrain:)

Searching trial and error

2007-02-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

Currently, I’m Webbing and still locating materials to use in my inquiry. Today I searched IUCAT for genetics books using the keyword genetics, but that yielded too many results. IUCAT suggested smaller categories like human genetics, heredity, and inheritance of acquired characteristics, so I clicked over to those topics. I also tried pairing “redheads and genetics” and “hair color and genetics,” but got no results.

After searching through some pretty mind-boggling genetics book titles (keep in mind I haven’t taken a science course for years), I decided I should check and see what’s available at the public library. For this personal inquiry, I don’t think I want to get into anything too esoteric, because my audience will probably be the general public. I also want to avoid something that will be way too confusing to me.

When checking IMCPL, I found several titles that looked more user-friendly to the genetics layperson. They also happened to be from the children’s and young adult section for the library, but I think these will be good choices for me to understand the foundations of genetics and inheritance, so that I can communicate my ideas about the redhead extinction phenomenon. One source I'm looking forward to viewing is Bill Nye the Science Guy's video on genetics.

If I were teaching students during the Webbing process, I would definitely incorporate an activity with Boolean searching. The creation of a good search string like “redheads and extinction” can yield the best results and save lots of time. A good activity might be to try different search strings and compare the number of quality results that comes from each of those strings. I might try that myself.

Although I’m enjoying my inquiry, part of me feels “tied to the book.” In other words, I’m going through the process trying to adhere to the inquiry models worried that I might miss a step or an insight. I can see how students might be frustrated when they first try a free inquiry, but I think as you commit the models to memory it could become easier and more enjoyable to go through the process. Let’s hope I reach that level!!!

Searching & Evaluating

2007-01-30T12:43:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot the two most important keywords for my search on the extinction of redheads: Redhead and Red Hair. I’ll add those to the Words category of my graphic organizer in every category (History/Identity, Genetics, and Action).

I have started searching for information about my topic using several different avenues. I find that in addition to keyword searching, database thesauri are also very helpful to get a broad spectrum of resources to narrow down. Here are the different areas I am searching and results I’m getting:

WWW: Google, AllTheWeb, invisible web search engines

I’m finding many redhead dedicated web sites (I’ll share a list of my favorites later), but I’m wondering about the authority of some of these web sites. I even found a redheads only online dating service. In this category, I’ve also found links to newspaper articles. The best resource so far on the web is The Tech Museum of Innovation’s Ask a Geneticist exhibition. Geneticists involved in the program directly answer questions related to redheads and genetics. I might be able to ask my own question, if it has not already been answered.

IUPUI Databases: Academic Search Elite, Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature, IUCAT, IMCPL Online Catalog, Global Books in Print, medical/science journal databases (yet to be determined)

Here I’m finding articles in professional journals such as International Review of Dermatology, Annual Review of Genetics, and popular publications like Newsweek. As I start to synthesize ideas, I probably want to separate out scholarly articles from magazine articles. Global Books in Print and the online library catalogs have helped me do a comprehensive search of books and reference materials. There are less than a dozen nonfiction books solely on redheads, and one of the most interesting is The Redhead Encyclopedia by Stephen Douglas.

I know I have more avenues to search. Next I might browse the shelves in reference or visit the Ruth Lilly Medical Library. I’m also contemplating creating a qualitative redhead email interview for all the redheads I can find, if it is relevant to my inquiry.

I realize that I’m wandering into the realm of Wiggling, but I thought it would be good to come up with a rubric for evaluating information before I actually read it. All inquiry models emphasize the need for quality materials, so I’ve come up with a checklist that I derived from the Examining, Selecting, Comprehending, Assessing portion of Abilock’s Noodle Tools and the Alberta Inquiry Model (Callison & Preddy 59):

Authority
Currency
Scope
Accuracy
Objectivity

Evaluating resources within a personal inquiry would really help students (and me) understand and apply AASL’s Information Literacy Standard #2: “The Student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently. (Information Power 8)”

Webbing

2007-01-28T15:25:00.000-08:00

After coming up with my Wondering questions, I felt it was important to start reading some introductory materials and doing some searching before I decide to narrow my topic or not. I was worried about diverting from the inquiry model, but as Sandy Guild states in Curriculum Connections Through the Library, "the expert researcher determines whether he or she must return to an earlier stage of research in order to reformulate his or her growing understanding of complex relationships" (141). In other words, the process of inquiry is not discontinuous and often the steps mesh together. Other models such as Eisenberg & Berkowitz's Big 6 seem to have a more linear approach with self-contained steps such as Task Identification, Information Seeking Strategies, and Location & Access, which allow less movement between the steps. My first instinct is to keep all of the W's in their own container and finish each one before moving onto the next, but I will try to keep the recursive approach (favored by Kuhlthau and Stripling) at the front of my mind.

I definitely want to exhaust all of my options while Webbing, so I think it would be best to make a graphic organizer to address my questions and prepare a search strategy. I will use a columnar graphic organizer similar to plot my course. Looking back at Lamb’s description of Wondering, I think that I can combine these steps to plot a search strategy and also narrow my topic if needed.

Below is a list of search ideas and terms that I came up with by using Lamb's Webbing Checklist. By using the categories Words, People, Places, Things, Chronology, and Ideas I sat and brainstormed my search terms. I'm sure I will come up with other terms to add to the list as I move forward.

Possible Redhead Extinction

Identity 1. How do redheads feel about possible extinction? 2. What does it mean to be a redhead? 3. Are there organizations for redheads?	Action 1. What is being done about possible extinction? 2. Will there be further research into possible extinction? 3. Are there organizations to "save the redheads"?	Genetics 1. What genetically causes red hair? 2. Why does red hair skip generations? 3. What scientific research has been done to come to this conclusion?	History 1. Where do redheads originate from? 2. How have redheads been perceived through history? 3. How has the redhead population declined?
Words: redhead, identity, minority, unique, non-profit organization, culture	Words: endangered, extinction, research, solution, saving, cause	Words: genes, traits, dominant, recessive, MC1R Gene, Punnett square, inheritance	Words: heritage, travel, perception, myths, truths, census, demographics, stereotypes
People: famous redheads (i.e. political leaders, entertainment, historical figures), Stephen Douglas	People: scientists, researchers, activists, sociologists	People: Mendel, new geneticists, researchers, my own family	People: well-known or famous redheads, redhead historians, Stephen Douglas
Places: Ireland, Scotland, Northern Europe, Heaven and Hell	Places: laboratories	Places: universities, museums, laboratories	Places: Ireland, Scotland, Northern Europe, Australia
Things: shades of red (i.e. the Clairol display at the grocery store), paintings, photographs	Things: brochures, web sites, pamphlets	Things: journal articles, web sites, text books, medical advances	Things: books, encyclopedias, paintings, photographs, biographies
Chronology: invention of hair coloring	Chronology: timeline of possible extinction, discovery of possible extinction	Chronology: discoveries in genetics (when genetics was first understood)	Chronology: invention of color photography, beginning of mass transit and travel
Ideas: unifying organizations for redheads, popularity of red hair, views of redheaded people	Ideas: ethical issues of preserving redhead gene (freezing eggs), worthy cause?, debate of extinction	Ideas: inheritance, evolution, desirability of traits, control over human characteristics (hair color, eye color, left/right-handedness)	Ideas: travel and immigration’s effect on population decline, popularity/unpopularity of red hair,

From this graphic organizer, I can already see that my Identity and History categories are overlapping, so I believe that I can combine these elements, which automatically narrows my topic a little bit.

As an extension of this organizer, I will add the questions suggested by Lamb -

What kind of information do I need?
Where can I find this information?
What format will the information take?

Note that I have now combined the categories of History & Identity, as I believe the resources used will be as similar as the terms I brainstormed.

Possible Redhead Extinction

Identity & History	Action	Genetics
Type: live interview, nonfiction, fictional stories about redheads, reference, web-based, visual art & photography, government information, geographical	Type: non-profit organization information, news media, reference	Type: instructional materials, live or e-interview, reference, visual representations, specialized scientific research
Location: IUPUI Library IMCPL Library Indiana State Library Social settings IMA & other art museums World Wide Web	Location: Newspapers and TV stations World Wide Web sites and forums	Location: IUPUI Library Ruth Lilly Medical Library IU Medical Center/School S LIS School (colleagues with medical reference research experience NIH National Genetics Organizations like National Genetic Resources Program H.S. media center
Format: Journal articles from databases such as Humanities Index, Readers Guide Retrospective Documentaries Encyclopedias Who’s Who Digital images Works of fiction featuring redheads Web sites Almanacs Historical maps & gazeteers	Format: Brochures/pamphlets Web sites Journal articles from databases such as Social Science Citation Index, Academic and Academic Search Elite Television programs Newspaper articles from national sources Advocacy web sites Email communication with online experts Organization directories	Format: Encyclopedia of genetics Genetic textbooks Online educational projects Charts & graphs of genetic information Journal articles from health information databases Conversation with geneticist NIH and other organization web sites

Now I feel that I am set to locate more resources and that this brainstorming will help with the efficiency of my search. I found a helpful organization suggestion from McKenzie's Research Cycle , which is to put information such as Source, Keyword, Subject, and Abstract(notes) in a database such as Access or Excel. This way of organization will be helpful to me, as I usually start to feel overwhelmed with a stack of paper notes. I would much prefer a keyword searchable electronic document.

Wondering Some More

2007-01-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

I have spent some more time wondering about my topic: the possible extinction of redheads. I realized while wondering that I have never spent so much time thinking about the color of my hair. I knew that it was unique, but I didn’t really know how rare it was. The Redhead Encyclopedia by Stephen Douglas, claims that less than 4% of the world

During the Wondering process I am also trying to draw from other search and inquiry models to help organize my thoughts. I can see why there are so many different models for these processes, because the different activities can work effectively for different types of learners. For example, Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process (ISP) provides Tasks, Thoughts, Feelings, Actions, and Strategies for every step of the process. This model of information search and use is very supportive to the learner and is very appropriate for someone new to inquiry. Other models, such as McKenzie’s Questioning Research Cycle focuses more on questioning, gathering, synthesizing, revising, and repeating. This process could help a more experienced inquirer hone their questioning and analysis skills.

Though I’m going through the 8W’s, I look also to the ISP model for validations of the feelings I’m having: a little overwhelmed and confused. I have not had much experience with these models of inquiry, and grew up in a much different learning environment where regurgitation of facts was considered most important. I need guidance on what activities and tools to use.

This week I embarked on the Wondering activity brainstorming. I reviewed the class readings to consider different options for organizing my thoughts and decided on trying Inspiration since I’ve only used it once before. I used an idea map with clouds to enclose my topics and questions, I thought this appropriate because I’m still wondering and nothing is concrete yet. Here is my initial brainstorm (if the jpeg image is not readable, I'll also attach in Scouts: Grade 6-Adults: Project 1 Area):

When coming up with these questions, I first thought about how red hair occurs. I remembered back to what I learned in freshman (high school) biology class about dominant and recessive traits in genetics. I think that red hair is recessive, but that is something I want to confirm in my inquiry. I also considered myself. I have red hair, but neither my mother, father, nor grandparents have it. That's where I came up with the question about red hair skipping generations. I realize that here, I'm using information I know or think and information I want to learn. I could also possibly use a KWL chart for this process and get the same results.

Once I identified genetics as a major category of interest, I tried to come up with some other perspectives that would have an impact on the extinction of redheads. I thought, what would redheads think when they heard this? I know that I was alarmed and felt motivation to find out (1) if this statement is true and (2) what can I do about it. I wonder if redheads feel a sense of unique identity. Is there a redhead organization out there? This also linked me to the thought of action. If redheads are going extinct, what is being done about it? Can anything be done about it. From some pre-reading, I know that there has already been research to try to prove the hypotheses of redhead extinction, but I want to know if there are second opinions.

The final category of questions I came up with relate to the history of redheads. In this case, I think that many redheads come from the British Isles and Northern European countries, but I want to know more. Are there other continents with native redheads? I wonder if the perception of redheads has any connection with the decline in population. How have the number of redheads declined over the last several hundred years: dramatically or little by little?

At this point, I am not sure whether I need to narrow my topic or if it's okay the way it is. I feel that history, identity, genetics, and action are supporting information for the problem of possible redhead extinction, but I don't know if I should eliminate some categories and focus in one. For example, should my topic be narrowed down to "The Genetic Causes of the Extinction of Redheads?" At this point, I find it helpful to look at the Alberta Inquiry Model, which emphasizes the assessment of each step of the inquiry process. One of the Assessment activities for the initial step of Planning (which equates to Wondering) is to "write or talk about perceived needs for intended audiences." (Callison and Preddy 59) With that, I will end this very long entry.

References:

Callison, Daniel and Leslie Preddy. The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry Instruction and Literacy. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2006.

Douglas, Stephen. The Redhead Encyclopedia. Newport Beach, CA: Redheads International, 1996.

Watching into Wondering

2007-01-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

Before stumbling upon the redhead extinction question, I was very apprehensive about the inquiry process. I could really relate to the feelings component of Carol Kuhlthau's Information Search Process model, specifically feeling confusion and anxiety at selecting a topic. I wanted to pick something that I really liked or was interested in, but also felt that I needed something that could translate into curriculum standards. It was somewhat thinking about huge topics like New York City or Bipolar Disorder and how I was going to narrow those down into one focus, when I have so many questions.

After considering the my different topics of interest, I somewhat accidentally landed on the question, "Will redheads become extinct?" I have decided to inquire more into this topic because once I started thinking about it, I really couldn't stop. After hearing that redheads may become extinct, I want to know if this is really true and supported by scientific evidence. I also want to know why redheads are so rare in the first place. What goes into the genetics of it? What part of the world did redheads come from? I think this would be a good time to make a concept map to build on.

I see a few possible curriculum connections to this topic at this point. I may derive others as the process continues. From some initial reading that I've done, genetics plays a big part in this redhead phenomenon. By examining the Indiana High School Academic Standards for Biology, I have identified the following standards which can be connected:

B.1.21 Understand and explain that the information passed from parents to offspring is transmitted by means of genes which are coded in DNA molecules
B.1.28 Illustrate that the sorting and recombination of genes in sexual reproduction results in a great variety of possible gene combinations form the offspring of any two parents. Recognize that genetic variation can occur from such processes as crossing over, jumping genes, and deletion and duplication of genes.
B.1.29 Understand that and explain how the actions of genes, patterns of inheritance, and the reproduction of cells and organisms account for the continuity of life, and give examples of how inherited characteristics can be observed at molecular and whole-organism levels – in structure, chemistry, or behavior.

As I become more familiar with this topic, I will be able to come up with some ideas for student experiences that match these standards.

I will continue to wonder and question about this question -will redheads become extinct? - and decide what background information is needed to address the question. What are the most important connections to this idea? Is it a genetic problem or a sociological one? I'm sure I will stumble upon some fun facts along the way that I will share with you.

Stay tuned. . .

Urgent Question

2007-01-17T05:38:00.000-08:00

I was literally hit over the head with a huge question and topic of interest this morning. I have wondered about it in the past, but haven't really thought about it lately. About a year ago, my red head friend told me she heard that red heads are going extinct by 2100. She read it in a newspaper. Today my other red head friend said that she took her red head son to the pediatrician was told the same thing. Being a red head myself, this topic is very interesting to me and now I feel a great sense of urgency to find out about the research behind this theory. I also want to know if there is anything that can be done to stop this from happening. Are there any organizations that are involved in this dilemma?

This is one more topic to add to my list, which I should narrow down soon. At the moment, red heads going extinct seems the most thought-provoking to me, but I will not through the others out just yet.

Beginning to question

2007-01-15T18:52:00.000-08:00

I started brainstorming some ideas for my personal inquiry this past week. In the past, I have usually been quick to pick a "research topic" and did not spend much time reflecting on the possibilities. I hope to learn as much from this process of inquiry as you learn from my final product.

Some things I've been thinking about lately are:

Civil Rights - because it is Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Bipolar Disorder - because there was a shooting at my former workplace (Easter Seals Crossroads) and the gunman was an employee with this illness
birth order - because I have a younger and much different brother
surviving in the wild - Does anyone watch Survivorman or Man vs. Wild? I love these shows!
Young Adult books and trends - I'm in a YA book group and just read Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.
New York City - I'm helping my best friend plan a trip there and I love the city. I wonder about how it came to be one of the most spectacular cities in existence. I marvel at the people, architecture, living arts, and geography.

Now I just have to decide which topic I'd like to explore more. If I had to say where I am right now in the inquiry process I'm Questioning via Jamie McKenzie's model of inquiry, or starting Watching & Wondering via Annette Lamb's model. I have much more wondering and questioning to do at this point. I'll have to think about which subject is most urgent and also enjoyable to me at this time.

Until next time, feel free to comment on my topics of interest:)

Information Inquiry

2007-01-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

I've deleted my old blog content so that I may use this account to post for my class on Information Inquiry. I look forward to learning more about inquiry and becoming a regular blogger, sharing my inquiry findings with others.